People have collected rare coins for centuries; certainly since the
Renaissance and probably before – Suetonius says that the emperor Augustus
gave old and foreign coins among other gifts at Saturnalia. Coins are works
of art in miniature and can tell tremendous stories; featuring portraits of
rulers, scenes from history and mythology, and religious motifs. They are
also a tangible link to the past: struck from hand-engraved dies, and often
worn by thousands of palms.

Here are eight of the most beautiful coins ever, selected by specialists at
A.H. Baldwin & Co., the auctioneers. Click on the arrows above the
picture